Head rod holder



May 9, 1939. J. J, MUNSON HEAD ROD HOLDER Filed Sept. 29, 1957 IN VENTDR. v

77km@ Ma qbmme ATTORNEY Patented May 9, 1939 UNITE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in head rod holders, especially, although not solely, adapted for use in connection with the pivotal support of the head rods of awning frames and the like.

It is customary to provide mounting hardwear for awnings and the like which will permit movements of the awning frames for raising and lowering, and which will also permit removal of the awnings from the building at the end of the season. For this purpose, in addition to the other fixtures employed, there are interposed between the support and the awning frame head rod, certain fixtures known as head rod holders.

3 In the forms of head rod holders now in common use, each member consists of a bracket per manently attached to a face portion of the building. A clamping lug is adjustably connected to the bracket by means of a screw threaded clamping bolt extending into the bracket. In most instances when an awning is to be removed or mounted, the workman is positioned at an elevation on a ladder and is working under difficulties.

With the prior type of head rod holder described,

it is necessary, in order to make a connection or l disconnection, that the clamping bolt be turned inwardly or outwardly to tighten or free the clamping lug which has to be swung into or out of position over th-e head rod. In most instances the clamping bolt and lug are hard to manipulate because of rust, corrosion, or stripped threads,

and usually the workman has to apply pliers or a tool to these elements. Due to the position of the workman, this is usually extremely awkward and diioult and is sometimes dangerous in that he must retain his balance on the ladder and at the same time hold the awning frame and the tool which is being applied. l

Recognizing the aforementioned objections tov the former types of head rod holders, the present invention has for its object the provision of a boltless head rod holder wherein connection and disconnection of the head rod relative to the fixture may be eiected by a simple, quick manipulation with the use of tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved head rod holder which eliminates the need of clamping bolts, winged nuts, and clamping brackets which were diiiicult of manipulation, and substitutes therefor an extremely simple and effective form of pivotal toggle latch Which may be quickly manually manipulated with one hand without the use of tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide a head rod holder which, when engaging a head rod, provides for a secure attachment and will not become accidentally disengaged when an out- Ward pull is imposed upon the head rod and frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boltless head rod holder in which all portions thereof are integral, with no separate parts which might require removal with the consequent danger of loss.

Head rod holders are provided with depending hooked portions to engage the eyes of pulleys for the support of the latter. In working on awnings at an elevation, it is some times convenient for the workman to support himself by grasping one; of the pulleys. With the constructions now in use if the pulley is accidentally pulled laterally, it may become detached from the hook portion of the holder whereby the workman will lose his means of support, which arrangement presents an objectionable hazard.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a head rod holder wherein the pulleys are detaohably suspended therefrom in such a manner that they cannot become removed unless the same are passed through a certain passageway upwardly and laterally of the hook, minimizing the danger of the pulleys becoming detached from the holder if engaged for support by a workman.

A further object of the invention is to provide a head rod holder which is very simple in construction, is easy and quick to mount, connect, and manipulate, is inexpensive to manufacture, is strong and durable, and is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the r invention consists of the improved head rod holder, and all its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a iront view of the improved head rod holder shown mounted against a supporting sur-- face and operatively engaging the head rod of an awning frame;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the showing in Fig. l with the head rod and awning portion shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a top View of the showing in Fig. l;

Fig. l is a iront View of the head rod holder per se with the toggle latch mechanism in open or releasing position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5 5 o Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing a modified form of the invention.

Although the invention is shown and described herein as forming a releasable mounting for the head rod of an awning frame, it should be understood that it is not the intent to thereby limit the scope of the invention, since the novel features of the device are obviously more generally applicable.

Referring now more particularly to the drawcurved on a radius, as at ing, it will appear that holder comprises a the improved head rod substantially T-shaped bracket with the upper portion forming opposite attaching ears 8 which are apertured to permit the insertion therethrough of screws 9 for permanently securing the device against the surface of a support I0. Between said ears there are a pair of spaced ribs II, with a recess or slot I2 therebetween. A pivot pin I3 is secured between the upper portions of said ribs, and another pivot pin M is secured between the lower portions of the ribs. A curved toggle latch I5 has its inner endA pivotally mounted on the lower pin I4. The inner face of said latch is I6, While the outer or front face of the latch is provided with a shoulder Il. A locking dog I8, of curved formation, has its inner end pivotally mounted on the upper pin I3. Said dog is provided with a reduced and angularly shaped outer end portion I 9 to engage the shoulder I'I of the latch when the latter is in its lowered position.

Below the ribs II the bracket is formed with a transverse semi-circular recess or socket 2] terminating in a forwardly directed flange 2I. Depending from the flange is a hook 25 in the form of a G. Said hook is of sumcient size and is so proportioned as to permit its conveniently engaging the eyed portions or two or more pulley blocks 22. As will be seen from the drawing the pulley blocks normally depend from the bracket, and carry awning operating ropes 23. To prevent easy, undesired removal of a pulley block from the hook 2|, it will be noted that the entrance 24 to the curved engaging portion of the hoek is located upwardly and laterally of said engaging portion. Hence, removal of a pulley block can only be effected by moving the pulley block through an upward and lateral path, with the block turned horizontally.

The improved head rod holder is adapted to engage, for turning movement, the head rod 26 of an awning frame, the head rod having secured thereabout an edge portion of a canvas sheet 21. Inasmuch as it is customary to remove an awning from the building at the end of a season, it is necessary that the engagement between the bracket and the head rod be such that the head rod may be easily and quickly detached therefrom, it being remembered that the bracket or holder remains permanently attached to the building or support I D. For the support of an elongated head rod two or more holders are usually employed at spaced intervals. For the purpose of this explanation, however, the engagement and operation of only one head rod holder will be referred to.

When an awning frame head rod is to be secured in operative position, the latch I5 and dog i9 are both manually raised upwardly, as in Figs. 4 and 5. This exposes the bracket recess or socket 20, and a portion of the head rod, which is in horizontal position, is then lodged Within said recess. The latch is then thrown downwardly over the outer portion of the head rod and because of the curved inner face, it, together with the socket, provides a substantially circular bearing for the rod, conning the same. To retain the latch in the down-turned securing position, the dog I 8 is also thrown downwardly, and its end portion I 9 engages the shoulder I1 of the latch. Thus, it will be seen that the head rod may turn within the socket, but because the latch is locked in down-turned position, any outward pull or force cannot release the head rod from its mounting.

When, at the end of a season, it becomes desirable to remove the awning, it is of course necessary to detach the head rod from the bracket. This is accomplished by rst turning the dog I8 upwardly to release the latch I 5, after which the latch is turned to releasing position, permitting the entire removal of the head rod and associated parts.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the latch I5 is formed similarly to the latch I5 of Fig. 5 except that its inner end is formed with a cam shaped rear extension I5. The locking dog I8 is also formed similarly to the locking dog I8 of the principal form of the invention except that its inner end is provided with a rearward extension I8. The purpose of this modified structure is to cause automatic movement of the latch to releasing position whenever the dog is moved out of engagement with the latch. Referring to Fig. 6, it is apparent that when the dog I3 is moved from the full line position to the dot-and-dash line position, that the extension I8" will engage the cam portion l5 of the latch I5 to automatically tilt the forward portion of the latch upwardly to releasing position.

It will thus be seen that with the improved head rod holder, the head rod may be easily and quickly mounted and removed without any inconvenience and without the use of tools. No screw threaded clamping members are utilized which can become rusted. The improved device is of simple and novel construction, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

What is claimed as the invention ls:

l. A rod mounting device, comprising a bracket having a transverse recess in its front portion, a curved latch pivotally carried by the bracket and swingable over the recess to turnably enclose an element disposed in the recess, and a locking dog pivotally carried by the bracket and movable in the plane of movement of the latch for releasably engaging the latch to secure it in retaining position.

2. A rod mounting device, comprising a bracket having a transverse recess in its front portion,

a curved latch pivotally carried by the bracket f and swingable over the recess to turnably enclose an element disposed in the recess, a locking dog pivotally carried by the bracket and releasably engageable with the latch to secure it in retaining position, and means on said dog engageable with a portion of said latch for automatically moving the latch to releasing position when said dog is similarly moved.

3. A rod mounting device, comprising a bracket having a transverse recess in its front portion, a curved latch pivotally carried by the bracket and swingable over the recess to turnably enclose an element disposed in the recess, said latch having its inner end formed with a cam extension, and a locking dog pivotally carried by the bracket and releasably engageable with the latch to secure it in retaining position, said dog having its inner end formed with a rearward extension engageable with the cam extension of the latch to automatically move said latch to releasing position when said dog is similarly moved.

JOKUM J. MUNSON. 

